Razor-blade sharpener.



C. SAUCH.

RAZOR BLADE SHARPENEH.

APPUCATIQN min MAK, 29. w15,A

Patented May14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z 2573/665 e@ f C, RAUCH* RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER. APPLscATIoN min mm 29. 1915.

y Patented May14, 1918y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I manipulated UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHAnLns MUCH, or sr. Louis,

COMPOBED 0F HERBERT S. GARDNER, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSGUBI.

` RAZOR-BLADE SHAEPENEB.

citizen of the tory sharpening elements and e sliiftable blndeholder,

Whether for double-edged or Single-edged blades., manipulated by n handle adapted to be turned in one direction only to autometically oscillate the sharpeners in posite directions and rock or shift the bla e-holder in roper timed relation to the movements of tge other parts tosecure the desired sharpening or stropping func tions, the construction incl uding simple and eleotive means for accomplishing these re-` instrumentalities may be easily and are economical to manu facture, being also unlikely to become de ranged or damaged in operation.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full understanding of the invention, preerred embodiments of the same have been illustrated in the accompanying drewings form ing n part of this specification, and throughout the various view of which like reference characters refer to be sume parts.

In these drawings,` l 3 Figure 1 is n side view of orte embodiment invention; f Y

:t vertical section on line 2-2 of suits, which Fig. 2 is Fig. 4; i P Fig. 3 is e vertical section on line 3 3 of "`,ig. 4; 4

Fig. 4 is u ple-n view of the device; y Fig. 5 is e vertical cross-section on` line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is n perspective view of one Vof the 1g. 7 iillustraites the blade-holder open; Fi B show the rack opereted by the hanelle .oscillating the stro ing elements :md manipule-ti blndeolders;

v 'Fig 9 is a @n View of a similar structure adapted to sharpen double-edged blades;

Speeioation ot Letters Patent. Alipnomon med miren 2a,

Lilwdvholders adopted to receive a single` Patented May 14, 1918. 1915. Serial No. 17,578.

Figs. 10 and l1 are views of a. doubleedlgjed blade-holder and the associated blade. hg. 12 illustrates in section the ratchet connection of the operatinghendle with the crankshaft, and

Fig. 13 illustrates another cluteh-cnem tion between the operating-handle and the crankshaft.

Referring first to the .device illustI-led in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, 1t will be observed flange 22 forming a top or cover for this`- smaller of the two com )artments into which the wall divides the ilasing. Three cylinn dricel stropping or sharpening elements 23, 24 and 25, are accommodated in the larger of these compartments, and are fixedly mounted on their respective shafts 26, 27 and 28, havi g suitable beerings in the wall 29 of the casing and in the partition Well 21.vl As is customary in devices of this kind, these cylindrical stroppng elements are covered with leatheror other'suita'ble sharpeningor strapping materiel. Each of such shafts projects through the wal-l 21, and in the smaller of the compartments of the casing they are equipped with gears or pinions 30, 31 and 32, rcs tively.

are 33 is sudingly mounted in the casing, and has integral three pi:nlons, as illustrated in F ig. 2, theA bar und 'rack being of less length than the interior ermit its reciprosuch length that out of mesh with' of the stropper-casing to cation, the rack being o at no time are its teeth env of the three pinions.

he device is equipped with a shaft 35 having a bearing in the wall 36 of the casof the shaft has a crenkarng 39 thereon,

provided with :t crank pin 40 eng g e slot 41 of bar 33. Obviously, therelozi?, as

side, i'

the handle is revolved in a clockwise direction, the crank will cause the reeiprocation of the rack, and this in turn will effect the simultaneous oscillation of all of the cylindrical stropping elements.

These stroppers are spaced apart as shown in the various figures, and in such spaces oscillatory blade-holdersare employed, two being used in the present instance with the i0 three stroppers. Each of such blade-holders is adapted to accommodate a sngleedge blade, and comprises a bar 42 with a journal 43 at its rear end, received and rotatable in a bearin in the casing-wall 29. At its other end, t e bar 42 has another journal 44 accommodated in a bearing 45 in the front wall of the casing. At 46, bar 42 has hin ed thereto a cpmpanion bar 47 equipped wit a bent handle 48 by. which it may be manipulated, andsupplied also with a bent arm 49 at one end adapted to take over the bar 42 to securely hold them together. This bar may be shaped to accommodate any particular style or form" of razor-blade, the structure differing ini minor details with different well known makes of blades. In the pile-sent instance, the blade 50 has end shoulders51, 5l adapted to bear a einst co ratl.ing shoplders 52, 52 provide on bar 4 and `{t0-in 'order to maintain the blade properlyin position, its back or upper edge 53 enga es a bent lug 54. As is clearly shown in ig. ll, when the two bars 42 and 47 are brought together, the blade is rigidly and firmly held therein without possibility of dislodg ment. t

Bar 42 is also supplied with a depending leaf-spring55 and a cam rider 56 of somewhat pointed conformation, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It should be observed that beth the plate or bar 33 and its associated rack 34 are equipped with two `:plertures 57 and 58 of the shape shown in gs. 2 and 8; that is to say, each of these apertures has a dat side 59 with recesses 60 and 61 at its opposite ends, such recesses, of course, forming portions of the main aperture. As is perhaps shown more clearlyvin Figs. 2 and 5, the cam riders 56 of the two blade-holders are accommodated in the apertures 57 and 58, the surfaces 59 being adapted tobear on such riders so as t'o properly press the blades of the blade-holders agnnst the revolving stro ping elements. he partition Wall'21 is a so apertured at 62 and 63 for the accommodation of the'blade-holders, and the leaf springs 55 are adapted to engage the opposite walls of such apertures, as shown 1n Fig. 3. 4

The operation of this appliance takes place practically as follows:

Assuming that the two blade-holders have been supplied with a pair of single-edge blades 50, eand that t ie handle 37 is being rotated in ai clockwise direction, then the plate 33 and its associated rack 34 are movmg toward the left as the parts are viewed in Fig. 2, the edges of the blades being held against the cylindrical sharpening surfaces of the two stroppers`24 and 25 by reason of the engagement of the surfaces 59 with the riders 56, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Under these circumstances, the two springs 55 are held somewhat bowed and under iiexure against alls of the apertures 62 and 63. At just L "u the time the crank 39 reaches dead center, the surfaces or tracks 59 pass beyond the cam riders 56, and the blade-holders, under the straightening action of their springs 55, swing clockwise slightly, so that as the handle continues its rotation and the rack moves to the right, the surfaces 59 will then engage .the opposite surfaces of the riders rocking the blade-holders, so that the blades will then enact with the two stroppers 23 and 24, which are now revolving 1n the opposite direction.

Such coactlon of the surfaces 59 and the riders holds the blades firmly under their own spring pressure against the stropping surfaces, and also holds the springs 55 bowed in the opposite direction against the opposite edges of the recesses 62 and 63, so that when the rack reaches the limit of its right-hand movement, these springs will rock the blade-holders suiiiciently whereby during the next stroke of the rack the blades will engage the other pir of stroppers. It will be observed, of course, that theecavities .60 and 6l permit this slight rocking of the holders under the action of `springs 55 during the reversal of There is conserotation of (the strolpers.

cutting the stroppers quently no' danger o by the blade-edges, the blade-holders being automaticlly rocked so as to properly engage the s arpenin elements under al circumstances. State somewhat differently, the stroppers oscillate, and the blade-holders are rocked in proper timed relation to effect elliciently the proper stropping functions. t

The number of strop ers and the number of blade-holders is, o course, immaterial. That is to say, the number illustrated might be either increased or decreased. But for each single-edge blade, one side of its edge is sharpened by one stropper, and the other side Aby a companion stropper.

If it were'not for the Rresence and action of the springs 55, the b ade-holders might not rock suiliciently when released te be still further rocked positively in the right direction by the coperation of their riders with the sliding surfaces of the rack bar. These springs, 1n straightening out, right the blade-holders sulficiently so that their riders will be properly engaged to elect the rocking movement.

In Figs. 9, l0 and l1, I have illustrated a modification of the invention, showing the same applied to :a` le-vine for sharpening doubIeerlged blades, the sl'rnr'tm v wing von ipped m'itlhxnunns for quickly owning the hindeholdor -or the withdrawal of :i sharpened blade und the insortion of one to he noted upon. In this caso, tho stroi'igms their gears, the moin tho hoodie, nini ihn f-rank connection between the handle and the raoln together with tho agiert/uros of the rank-har and the copornting blndohorinr riders are all constructed ns in the other device. In this instaura however, the hlndeholder consists of two spring furnis, TU and 7L which, nndor tiroir spring notion., Lond to separate, but which nro fastened together." niour rnd by n rivet T2. Une of these bars 7l is dei formed or pressed to provide e pair of lugs 73, 73` admite-d to he aoconnnodated in the apertures of the douille-edged l'flefio UL The ooinpemion har 76T: is nlm prosszod or do formed to provide rovessrs ITL for ahr conm'uxlntion v .sm-,h imo-es M The bnr 'EU has n :dotled volw 76 adapted to fit over ihn bor 7l, and it als?. has n ini? of fingers Ti', 7? engaging: tho under surface of the noso pnnion bnr 7i, those parts eoi'perntxng so asto maintain the two bars of'thr holder m proper register. (lne ond of the holder has a journal Z8 'mespondng to the journal 4i of the otiloslrolder of Fig. fi, and at its op positiev ond this donbhhedgod blade-holder hasn spilt' jonrnni.79 ,adauted to projoot throughfajn' aperfure 8? of t o rear well of the Shellor osing, m the `previous instanoo.I4 thin` blndwl'goldo hns n depending cal-'spring S1 performing the saline inne-tion as the of ihn other style of holden and ifalso hns n @un ,or bewind rider 82 the Sarno mnnner as vih@ norm Spon mg rider of the other form of binds v:ias

er. i For oooh of these bmileieoli'-,rsV the rear Wlffl of. the shell han piwlod thor-oto at Si@ rlalich 84 havin an operatingf handle 85 and-"l hookhgzpe portion 8G adapted to fit heprotmding ond of the split journal f maintain the holder in proper position, noting as a portion of the bearing for meh joll'rnnl This latch 84 has n wedge swung I gpwa-rdlynronnd its pivot` toonter between the bons" 7G and 7L spreading them apart to facilitate the withdrawnh of the andthe insertion of another. he, sharpening operation of this modified structure is substantially the sume as that of other device except that in this 4edges of each doubleedged strapped simultaneously, 'the oneskideof one edge on the one stropper, and Mld-opposite sido of the mme edge on the nent adjacent stl-opper after the bladeholdnr has been rockedn Stated somewhat differently, @Itoh of the blades, except during blade `und elements to oscillante the 1r the shifting of the blade-holder, has one side of one edge engaging one stropper, and the opposite side of the other edge in 'sharpening engagement with the next adjacent stropper. Then, when the blade-holder is rocked, the other side of the rst edge contacts with the, second stropper, and the other side of the other ed e engaes the first-mentioned stropper. is in t 1e previous instance, the stroppers :ire oscillated automatioally and the blade-holders similarly rocked by merely turning the handle always in the one direction.

To those skilled in this art, it Will be clear that the invention is susceptible of a variety of other embodiments, and that various minor mechanical changes ma be'made in those illnstrnted and describedI without departum from the substance of1 the invention sind witlunxt the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages; but it is believed that the invention can be readily understood from the two embodiments herein set forth.

in this application I have described the rotation of the operating-handle: as occur- .ring in :t clockwise direction, an this is Vthe more natural way in which it would ordinaz-ily be rotnted. It should be obvious however, that the device can be actuate equally v vell if the handle is rotated in a conntorclockwise direction, provided the clutch or ratchet mechanism between the handle and its shaft is correspondingl modied. Irl-Fi 13 I have illustrated such a, modification wlerein the awl clutch connection 38* between the andle and the crankshaft ermita an operative connection of the hand e with the shaft when the formor is rotated nommer-clockwise, but ermits the handle to rotate freely on the aft; when revolved clookwise.

I claim:

l. In a Shar ening` appliance of the charactor describa the combination of. a pair of oscilla sharpening elements, a movable hl-adeiloldor having a rider, a reclprocatory bar, a handle, an operative between said Vlmndlo and bmi-'to procate the latter, actuating means conneetmg said bar and elements to oscillate the latter by the mim-ocation of the former, and on solda hor co-xwting with said rider to hold the. blind 'in the blnde-holderaid 'sharpening elements, su nti Hy as described.

2. In a sha ening appliance of theeharnoter describe the comblnatimi of a parir of oscilatory sharpening elements, a. movable blade-holder having a rider, bar, a handle, an operative tween said handle and bar to Arrelgnplvorzn;me the latter, actuati means w i .n i

ythereciprocation of tho former, means on said bar uff gotially as described.

ed oscillatory bla e-hol cca-acting with the rider to hold the blade in the blade-holder against said sharpening elements, and means to shift the blade-holder at each change of direction of rotation of said elements, substantially as described.

3. In a shar ening appliance of the character describe the combination of a pair of oscillatory sharpening elements, a movable blade-holder having a rider, a reciprocatory bar, a handle, an operative connection between said handle and bar to reciprocate the latter, actuating means connecting said bar and elements to oscillate the latter by the reciprocation of the former, meanson said bar co-actin with said rider to hold the blade in the lade-holder against said sharpenin elements, and spring means to shift the b ade-holder at each change of direction of rotation of said elements, substan- 4. In a sharpening appliance of the character described, the combination of a pair of oscillatory sharpening elements, a pivoted oscillatory blade-holder having a rider, a reciprocatory bar, a handle, an operative connection between said handle and bar to reciprocate the latter, actuating means connectinsaid bar and elements to oscillate the latter y the reeiprocation of the former, and means on said bar co-acting with said rider to hold the blade in the blade-holder against the sha1' ening elements, substantially as describe 5. In a shar ening appliance of the character describe the combination of a pair of oscillatory Shar enin elements, a pivoter' having a rider, a reciprocatory bar, a handle, an o rative connection between said handle an bar to reciprocate the latter, actuating means connectmg said bar and elements to oscillate the latter by the reciprocation of the former, means on said bar coaoting with said rider to hold the blade in the blade-holder against said sharpening elements, and means to rock said bla e-holder at each changeefdirection of rotation of said elements, substantially as described. 1

6. In a sha ning applia'nce of the character descri the combination of a pair of oscillatory shar enin elements, a pivoted oscillatory bla e-hol er having a rider, a recprocatory bar, a handle, a crank connection between said handle and barlto reciprocate the latter,4 actuating means connectin said bar and elements to oscillate the latter y the reciprocation of the former, .means on saidbar coacting with said rider to hold the blade in the blade-holder against said sharpening elements, and means to shift the blad -holder at each change of direction of rotation of said elements, substantially as described.

7. In a sharpening appliance of the character described, the-combination of a pair of oscillatory sharpening elements, a pivoted blade-holder having a rider, a reciprocatoryrack, a handle, an operative connection between sai'd handle and rack to reciprocate the latter, gears for said elements meshing with the teeth of said rack to oscillate the elements by the reci rocation of the rack, and means on said rac coactin with said rider to hold the blade in the bla e-holder a inst said sharpening elements, substantie y as described.

8. In a shar acter describe the combination of a pair of oscillatory sharpening elements, apivoted blade-holder having a rider, a reciprocatory rack, a handle, an operative connection between said handle and rack to reci recate the latter, gears for said sharpening ements in mesh with the teeth of said rack to oscillate the elements by the reciprocation of the rack, means on said rack coactin with said rider to hold the blade in the b ade-holder against said sharpenin elements, and means to shift the blade-hol er at each change of direction of rotation of said elements, substantially as described.

9. In a sha ening appliance of the character describe the combination of a plurality ofl sharlpening elements, a gear for each of said e ements, a rack meshm with said gear, a rotatable handle,- a cran and crank-pin turned by said handle and operatively connected to said rack whereby turning of the handle in one direction reciprocates the rack and oscillates said elements, a blade-holder, enacting means between said rack and blade-holder to cause the former through the latter to hold the blade alternately against the sharpening elements and means to shift the position of the bladeholder at each change of direction of rotation of the elements so that the rack may correctly enga it to press the blade against the 4proper e ement, substantially as\`de scribed. f

10. In a shar ening appliance of the character describe the combination of three sharpening elements, a plurality of bladeholders each between a pair of said sharpening elements, a handle, and means actua by said handle when the latter is rotatedin a sin le direction to oscillate said elements and s ift the blade-holders to alternately litply one side of each blade-edge to the mid e one of the elements when the latter are rotating in one direction and to apply the opposite sides of such blade-edges to th panion elements e comof said elements, substantially as described.

11. In a sharpening appliance of the character described, the: com ination of apair of sharpening. elements, a pivoted bladeholder having a tapered rider, a reciprocatory rack having a track adapted to coperate with said rider, a handle adapted to be ening appliance of the charl 'les during the reverse rotation 10 nary to the track again engaging t rotated n a sngo direction only, an ative connection between s 1d handle and rack to reciprocate the latte' ears for said elemonts meshing with the zeetl of said rack to oscllate the elements d; ring thc` reciprocation of the rack, a sprin 'mounted to swin with said blade-holder,-xt xd'abutments wit which said spring coperates to shift the rider after leaving the rack-track relmie rider during the reverse movement of the rack, substantially 1S describe;

In witlis whereof', I hereunto subscribe my nnme his 19th day of March, A. I). 1915.

CHA RL 1S RAUGH.

Witnessas:

(im. Eunmcu, H. S. GARDNER. 

